The Reincarnation
by CandeeVictoria
Summary: Link stumbles across a girl who look familiar to him and he finds out that she is the reincarnation of his mother! But she has a past following her, one that could destory.
1. Part One

Part One—Let the Truth Be Told

His name is Link...please take care of him. Link then came to just in time to see his mother scamper away. He arose up from the ground as quick as he could. Mother! Don't leave! He chased her to a meadow where he saw his mother kneeling, and praying. Link's eyes went soft, Mother... he said as he placed his hand on his mother's shoulder. She looked up from praying and stared into her son's eyes with tears in her own, Link, she said weakly, Please go back...leave me here. Leave me here to die. Link shook his head, No, mother. I want to be with you. His mother jerked out a golden holly stake from within her robes, I can't let you do that, Link. I won't. I must leave this awful world and flee to heaven; She raised the stake above her head. Link only backed away from her, Don't do this, mother. Don't do this! But it was to late. For his mother had already brought the stake down hard into her chest, killing herself instantly. No! Mother!

"Wake up, Link," said a familiar voice, "You're having another bad dream."

Link shook himself awake and sat up in the bed, breathing hard and sweating bullets. It took him a while before he realized he was still alive. His aqua colored eyes trailed about the room and landed on a boy, Matt, "That dream...when will it leave me?"

Matt rolled his eyes, "Don't ask me," he said, "It's that dream where your mother killed herself, right?"

Link nodded, "I've had it every night for a while now," he pulled the covers tightly around his body, "It's beginning to scare me."

Matt finished wiping the counter and blushed, "Maybe it's a stage you're going trough. Maybe..."

"No..." said Link, "This dream was even weirder than all the other dreams like this. I..." he swallowed, "I was able to feel my mother's warmth. It was almost as if she was alive and right next to me."

"It's probably a stage," Matt replied, "A very serious stage. One that would probably last a long time."

Link now was withdrawing his covers and getting out of bed. His eyebrows lowered as he sat down at the table and began to munch at his cereal. He chewed it slowly before he realized it was soggy and withered, "Ugh!" he pouted, "How long has this been sitting here?"

Matt smiled childishly, "A while," he said, "You woke up for about a half a minute and told me you wanted cereal. So I made it. But you already went back to sleep."

Link pushed his bowl a couple feet away from him, "I don't feel like eating the rest of this," he reached into a bowl across the table and pulled out a handful a berries. He shoved them in his mouth and got up from the table, "Ok...I'm outta here."

Matt banged on the table, "Hold it...you know the rules every Friday morning!"

Link put on an innocent face, "I do?"

"Don't act stupid, Link. Get your wooden sword out of the wardrobe and get your lazy ass in the yard."

Link dragged himself to the wardrobe, "C'mon, Matt. I don't feel like practicing sword dancing today," he said, "When do I get my real sword back?"

Matt took up his wooden sword as well, "When you learn how to use one properly, that's when," he grabbed Link by his tunic and hauled him out in the yard. He took up his sword and held it with two hands, "I'm gonna teach you today how to block when you don't have a shield."

Link rolled his eyes, "This is gonna be old."

Matt shot him a dark stare, "First," he began, "I'm gonna swing vertically at you. In order to block a vertical swing, you must hold your sword horizontally. Go ahead and think fast," because within a second, Matt had swung vertically. But Link, reacting, held his sword horizontally, blocking the swing. Matt nodded, "Now do you know what to do if I swing horizontally?"

Link shrugged, "I whimper?"

Matt frowned, "Be serious, Link. I'm only doing this for you."

"How is this working for me?"

Matt lowered his sword, "Let's see...I'm doing this for you maybe because I'm your best friend and I don't want to see another girl talking behind your back because you have no idea how to handle a sword. You got that, Mr. Smarty-pants?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just finish with your lessen so I could get out of here."

Matt took up his sword again...then lowered it. He stared at the ground.

"What?" said Link, "What's the matter?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. Just go ahead. Take your sword and go," he began to walk into the house, "Your sword is in the cupboard under the steps...I only wanted to help."

Link's eyes grew wide, "Is that were is really was?"

Matt nodded.

"Cool!" Link ran to the cupboard and opened it. He pulled out his shinning sword and waved it in the air triumphantly, "Finally! After three months I finally got my sword back!" he closed the cupboard and started towards the door. He opened it and stuck his body halfway out before turning back in and saying, "See ya at dinner, Matt."

No answer.

"Matt?"

Still no answer.

He shrugged and walked outside.

Way above the clouds, higher than the eye could see, stood the three goddesses: Din, Farore, and Nayru. They were all thinking the same thing at the same time. But Din was the first to mention it.

"Link has been having those dreams again," she said, "He really misses his mother...even though he's only seen him once."

Farore was the next to speak, "He's very confused with everything. Anything he stumbles across, he becomes confused. He needs a mother."

Now it was Nayru, "You know...we have the power to bring her back," she said, "We could if you'd like."

"No..." said Farore, "We can't. She's been dead these fourteen long years. We can't, we need stronger power."

Din focused her dark, red eyes in a small town in Hyrule. She spied a young girl and smiled, "There's only one way to bring Link's mother back to life."

Nayru blinked hard, "And how is that?"

She smiled, giving Nayru the message. Nayru smiled back and glanced at Farore, who was also smiling deceivingly. They all knew how to bring her back, but it wasn't at all how it seemed.

Farore crossed her arms and said, "But we must notify someone about it...someone Link trusts."

"We could tell Zelda," suggested Nayru.

"No," said Din, "I know Zelda's a person Link can trust, but think about it...we need someone that Link will turn first to when he has a problem. Just guess...who is it?"

Nayru and Farore both answered at the same time, "Matt!" Din smiled.

"Of course it's Matt. Who else could it be?" she said. Then she turned to Nayru, "I need you to transport Matt here. We can tell him as soon as he arrives."

Nayru nodded and fled to get Matt. She returned only within a matter of minutes with him; his face confused as ever.

Farore patted him slightly on his back, "Do not be afraid, Matt. We're the three goddesses."

Matt licked his lips, "I quite know that but...why am I here? Am I being punished?"

"No...no," said Din, "We'd like to tell you something. It's something about Link," she leaned closer to his ear and whispered their secret. Then she brought herself back to stare into his shocked face.

"No way!" he said, "I must tell Link. He'll be overjoyed!"

"No," said Din's stern voice, "This is a secret that must be kept. Link will find it out on his own."

Matt rolled his eyes, "Please! Link still doesn't even know how to make his own cereal. How is he going to out about his mother?"

The three sisters exchanged worried looks at each other. Farore's shaky voice answered his question, "Ok...you can tell him. But...only when you feel the time is right to reveal it to him. You understand?"

Matt nodded cautiously, "Yes...I understand. Only when the time is right."

Din smiled, "Very good, you've always been a good boy—a boy who listens to what he's been told to do...Ok, Nayru. You could take him back home, now. It's time."

Link glanced around the deserted Kakariko Village. There was nobody in sight. The rain had made the soil dirty and muddy. So the villagers wouldn't allow themselves outside their houses.

He shrugged and pulled out his sword and swung it as if he was fighting someone, "Take that, Ganondorf!" he yelled and he swung again, "You can't get away from me this time, you're dead meat," he jumped back as if someone was trying to strike him, "Oh...I'm to quick for ya," his eyes grew fierce, "Time to die once again!" he lunged forward as if he was plunging a sword into someone's side, "Ha! I've defeated you once again."

He then looked around, fearing someone had been watching him. He raised the sword a little and began pacing back and forth among the alleys. His eyes shifted as he poked around every corner.

A shuffle of leaves was heard from behind and Link whirled around with fright, "Who's there?" he stammered. He slashed back some bushed, "y-you don't scare me!"

Just as he said that, he heard a trash can from inside an alley topple over and fall onto the hard ground, making a loud, tortured sound. He gasped as he ran to the alley in which he thought he heard the crash coming from. He saw, scattered all over the floor, was trash. But he also noticed something else.

It was a girl. A girl, who looked about his age and had dark, brown hair. She looked a little frightened, on account that Link had a sword. She blinked her blues quite quickly as she swallowed hard in her dry throat.

But there was something about this girl that Link noticed right off the bat. This girl looked exactly like his mother...only a little younger. She had the same facial features and her hair was just as straight. It made Link's head spin, because he thought for a slight second about just flying into the girl's arms and hug her as if she really was his mother. But he didn't...and that made his heart race.

The girl stammered a little, "I-I'm sorry. Did you hear that?" she lowered her eyes and blushed, "I'm sorry...I was just looking for food. There's nothing here. I guess the Hylian Dogs had gotten here before me. Almost every day that happens."

Link, for some reason, relaxed, "That's fine," he pointed to Matt's house, "My friend and I would love to give you something to eat back at our house."

She sniffed a little, as if she had a cold, "You live with your friend?"

"Well...not exactly. There was a fire back at where I used to live. And Matt offered me to stay with him until I save up enough money to rebuild my house."

The girl smiled, "That was nice of him," then she lost her smile and stared at the ground, "At least you have a friend. At least you have someone who can take you in when you're homeless. As for me, nobody can give a heck about the poor girl who lives on the streets and uses old newspapers for blankets and eats from the trash can and sleeps in little chicken coops and..." her voice trailed off as she looked up from the ground and laughed nervously, "Just listen to me—I'm thinking out loud and saying too much. I know what you're thinking. I know I'm a little weird. I don't really have to eat at your house...it's not like you're making me," she sniffed again, "I don't really want to be a burden on you...or your friend."

Link shook his head, "That's nonsense!" he said, "It's not like we pay rent. Or buy anything. We live on Mr. Bradley's livestock. And that's kept us running for a long time."

She smiled and sniffed, "Thank you...whatever your name is."

"It's Link," he said, "Just plan old Link. I never knew my last name."

She scuffed some dirt to the side, "Vicky...my name is Vicky Coherence."

He smiled, "That's a pretty name," he started to lead her back to the house, "You know what...I don't think you're weird at all. I'd say you were just a normal girl who just doesn't have a home," he placed his sword back into his scabbard, "If you like, I'll ask Matt if you can sleep at our house a couple of nights. It's fine with me, and I'm sure he'll agree too."

"Oh no! That's too much. I wouldn't ask for me to stay at your house. I'd say the most I could ask you for is a simple piece of fruit to last me for the week."

Link shook his head as he stopped in front of the door to his house, "Just stay. It's winter...and it's better to stay in a warm bed than in a cold alley."

"I guess you're right."

Link nodded as he swung open the door, "Matt! I'm back!"

"So soon?" he heard a voice come from the den. He then saw Matt enter the room and stand there, staring at Vicky, "And who is she?"

Vicky smiled, "My name is Vicky."

"She's a girl I saw picking around the trash can for food. She..."

"Around the trash can!" he brought both hands to his face, "Are you hungry? Would you like me to whip up something for you to eat? You could stay here for a couple nights if you want."

Link smiled, "See...I told you it would be okay with him if you stayed," he rubbed his stomach, "So...what really are you going to 'whip up?'"

"Oh, just something real good," he replied, "What would you want, Vicky?"

She smiled warmly, "Meat...lots of meat. Any kind of meat would make me happy."

"Do you like pork? Because that's all we have."

"Pork..." she said in a dreamy kind of way, "It's been so long since I had a good bite of pork. Yes...I'd like some."

Matt nodded, "That's what Link and I have been eating everyday for dinner for as long as we can remember."

Link laughed, "Yeah...and every morning, it's either cereal or eggs."

"Then what do you have for lunch?"

"Nothing," said Matt, "We don't eat lunch. We chew on sunflower seeds. That way, we feel like we're eating something and it makes us less hungry. Plus, it stretches our food supply."

"That's smart," she said, "I would have never thought of something like that."

Matt smiled, "You and Link can go do something while I'll cook. Pork takes a while."

Vicky twirled a strand of thread around her finger and sniffed, "You know...Matt's really the first male I've ever known who could cook. He's someone really rare."

Link nodded, "I think he said he learned how to cook from his mother. His mother must have been a great cook, because he makes mean food."

She unwired the string from her finger and placed it back in the box, "I wish I knew how."

"Matt says I need to learn the basics first," he said, "Like cereal. I sick of making cereal."

Vicky laughed, "I haven't had cereal in a long time. I'm glad you and Matt have invited me to stay with you at your house. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said with a grin, "Like Matt always told me, it's best to be nice to the people who are needed," she grinned back, "How...how did you become homeless in the first place?"

Vicky lost her smiled and stared down at the ground.

"You know what?" he asked, "Just forget what I said. I shouldn't be asking about personal stuff."

She shook her head, "No...it's okay. It just brings back a lot of painful memories," she gave off a short smiled, "Father used to beat me hard. And mother never did anything about it. One day, when we were at a party, he lit my knee on fire in front of everyone. And someone called the security guards. They took him away and threw him in jail. I was then living with my mother and my uncle, who had moved in after father left. But my uncle was much worse. He beat me non stop...and he beat mother too," she stopped to wipe away a tear, "Then...he killed her."

"Your mother?" Link asked in shock.

Vicky nodded sadly, "My mother."

"Why?"

"It was because she was lazy, or so he thought. But she wasn't...she was sick. And she couldn't move a lot or she would be in pain. So she mostly stood in bed. So my uncle thought she was no use and decided to kill her...right in front of me," she paused a little, "I feared that he would kill me too. So I..."

"You ran away," he said, finishing her sentence. She nodded and wiped away another tear. Link leaned over and hugged her, "I'm sorry...I lost my mother too. She was killed also."

She lifted herself from his body, "And how did she die?"

Link tried to laugh it off, "I don't really remember her. I was a baby when it happened. She died in the war. It has been so hard without her."

Vicky patted his back, "It's hard for me too," she said, "I've been living with a secret all my life."

"And what is that?"

"Well if I tell you it wouldn't be a secret, would it?"

Link smiled, "I guess."

Vicky wiped away one more tear, "I've been keeping that story in for so long. You're the first I've ever told it to."

"You can tell me anything. I'm your friend."

Matt stuck his head into the room and smiled, "Hey, I wanted to say that the pork is ready. Come whenever you feel like it."

Matt, Link, and Vicky sat at the table, eating their plates of pork. They were talking and laughing and sharing their day. But it wasn't long before Link found himself looking at Vicky every minute. At one point she caught him.

"Why are you staring at me, Link?" she said.

He didn't answer. Instead he got up from the table, went to his room, and returned with a picture in his hand. He slid it across the table to Vicky, "It's a picture of my mother."

Vicky took up the picture, "It's...nice. She's really pretty. She looks like you a lot. She looks just like..." she paused and trailed off.

Link nodded, "Finish it, Vicky."

Vicky smiled nervously, "She looks just like...me."

Matt shook his head solemnly, "It's about time you knew the truth."

Link looked at Matt astonishingly, "What do you mean? You know why she looks like my mother?"

He nodded, "Yeah...I know. The three goddesses sort of brought back your mother."

"What do you mean sort of?"

"I mean...they brought her back...in a way...a very special way," he smiled, " Link...Vicky is the reincarnation of your mother. You mother's soul has been recycled in her body."


	2. Part 2

Part Two—A Mother and Son...Reunited

Link sat there, open mouthed, and shocked. For a second he thought about running over and falling into Vicky's arms. But then he thought, no...Matt might be lying. He's playing some childish joke.

"Are..." he stuttered, "Are you really...my mother?"

Vicky smiled warmly, "That was the secret I was telling you about," she said, "The three goddesses told me once before that I was a reincarnation of a dead woman named Malay. They said Malay had a son named Link and was living in a forest. They told me...to find you and somehow tell you the truth."

"And why didn't you?"

"I was afraid," she said, turning her gaze to the ground.

Link smiled at her, "Afraid of what, Vicky?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. I guess I was afraid you wouldn't believe me. I was afraid that you'd think I was nuts or something."

Matt smiled at the two, "Link isn't like that..." he said, "He believes anyone. He'll only think you're nuts if you lie. But why would anyone lie about such a thing?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she said, "But that's not what others think. When I was living in the streets, people would ask me questions like... ' What are you doing here,' or ' Why are you staring at me?' And I would try to answer them a positive as I could...but they always thought I was just a big, fat liar. And I was never a liar. And I never will be."

Link leaned over and hugged Vicky, "You're right," he said, "You're not a liar. I believe you...mother."

Matt could now see, for the first time in his life, that there were tears in Link's eyes. It brought tears to his own eyes, too. He was so happy to see a son and a mother (well...almost) be reunited together once again.

Link lifted himself up from Vicky's body. He smiled and wiped away his numerous tears from his tear-streaked face, "This is...the most happiest thing that's ever happened to me since I sealed Ganondorf away from Hyrule," he sniffed a little and blinked a tear, "I can't believe it...just wait until I tell Zelda."

Vicky was also crying, "I'm sorry, but...who's Zelda?"

"She's one of Link's closest friends," Matt replied, "And she'll be crazy for you. I know she will. We'll all go tomorrow and tell her the good news...but right now...I'm beat. I think I'll rest for a while. Do you need anything?"

Link and Vicky shook their heads, "I'm about ready for bed, too," said Vicky, "All this grief is making me tired."

"You can sleep in my bed...you remember where it is, don't you?" Vicky nodded, "Sleep there...I'll sleep on the couch."

She smiled and hugged him once more, "Good night, my son. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, mother," he watched Vicky walk away and disappear into his room. But he felt sort of uncomfortable calling a girl about his age his mother. How would people take kindly to that? But he didn't care what others thought. He had found his mother. And he was happy for that.

He knelt down near the window and began to pray to the three goddesses, " Thank you..." he said, "Thank you..."

"Zelda?" said Impa quietly, "Link has sent us a message. He's coming over this afternoon to tell you some great news."

"Really?" Zelda squealed with joy. She hadn't seen Link in a while she almost felt like flipping. She wondered if Matt was coming with him...and that was the only reason why she wanted Link to come. She secretly had a girly crush for him, "Is Matt coming with him?"

Impa nodded, "Yep...and another girl," she said, "But Link didn't mention her name. Why? You like Matt or something?"

How does she always know? Zelda thought with a blush, "No..." she replied. I...just haven't seen him in a while, that's all."

Impa rolled her eyes, "Whatever," and she proceeded to her office.

Zelda sat there in her room, thinking. Thank the Goddesses that Matt is coming. I'm beginning to go crazy without him. When he comes today, I don't think I can let him go home. It'll probably end up how it was before.

As she said that, she remembered how she lost the last boy she liked. He always used to visit her everyday. Until he and his family had to move. Only then he visited about once a month. Then, all at once, he stopped coming to see her. And two years later, Zelda found his mother and she asked him where he had been. She found out that he had gotten married and he already had a daughter of his own

Zelda bit her lip. Matt is never going to get married. I'm not gonna lose another boy. She then smiled...I'm just glad he's coming.

Link didn't arrive at the castle until late afternoon. At about five o' clock. By then, Vicky was panting with exhaustion.

"We're here," Link announced. They walked into the castle and stood in the middle of the den, where Impa stood smiling at them.

"Hello, Link, Matt, and..." She trailed off, because she didn't know how to address the girl.

"Vicky..." Vicky nodded.

"Vicky..." she nodded also, "Welcome. Zelda's upstairs. Would you like me to go and get her?" they nodded. And Impa began to walk upstairs to where Zelda's room was.

Vicky gazed in amazement at the large castle, "Whoa! This place is beautiful."

Link smiled, "I know...I haven't been here in a while...I'm too focused on earning enough money to rebuild my house that I've haven't even took the time to think about visiting Zelda."

And just as he said that, Zelda was walking down the stairs, her cheeks blushing at the sight of Matt's smile. As she approached the bottom of the stairs she said, "Good evening to you all. I'm glad you've come."

Link and Matt bowed. But Vicky only stood there. She felt Link nudge her softly and say, "You have to curtsy at members of the royal family."

"Oh," she replied with a short blush of embarrassment. And she curtsied, giving Zelda a smile.

"Impa's told me you have some good news to tell me," she said, "What is it?"

Matt smiled, "You think I should tell her?" he asked Link. And Link nodded, "Okay, then...well, anyway, this is Vicky." He gestured Vicky.

Zelda felt her heart jolt, Oh no! He's getting married to that girl! I think I've just lost another loved one.

"I'm gonna come right out and say it," Matt said, "This girl, Vicky, is the reincarnation of Link's mother."

Zelda let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't getting married! But she felt happy just as well as relieved, "Oh my gosh, Link. Really?"

Link nodded, "Really. I'm lucky I found her." He flashed Vicky a warm smile, "Very lucky."

"We should celebrate! We should have a big dinner. And you can all spend the night!" she smiled at Matt, "Would any of you like anything special at the dinner? Just name anything...anything crazy, I'll make it."

"I'll have some cereal," Link laughed.

"I'll have berries," Matt squealed.

"Sure thing," Zelda said with a grin, "And how about you, Vicky? Do you want anything special?"

Vicky smiled as if she were drunk, "Meat...lots of meat. Any kind of meat would make me happy."

"Do you like pork? Because that's all we have."

"Pork...yes...I'd like some pork."

Link swung back the covers to his bed and was about to lie down on it when his eye caught Matt, who was sitting up at the window, staring down at the castle lawn. Link got up from the bed to see what he was staring at. He was watching Zelda, who was sitting down on a rock outside playing her redwood ocarina. Matt sighed as he leaned his head on his one hand as he admired her.

"Link..." he said, "You don't...love Zelda, do you?"

"Who me?" Link shook his head, "Nah, she's just a friend. A very close friend. And I'd like to keep it that way."

Matt looked relieved, "Thank you," he whispered to himself, "I still have a chance."

"I'm sorry," said Link with a short smile, "You have a chance for what?"

Matt jerked up from his hand to look at Link in the eye, "Did you hear that?" Link nodded, "Oh, just a chance...for..."

Link laughed a little, "I know," he said, walking back to his bed. He plopped his body over it, "You have a 'thing' for Zelda."

Matt's cheeks shone red, "Yeah...a really big thing," he said.

"She deserves a guy," said Link, "After what happened a couple of months ago. Someone broke her heart. It was another guy she liked."

"What happened?"

"Well, he...sort of got married behind her back and totally forgot about her. Zelda hasn't been the same ever since," Link clenched his fist and put on a brutal expression, "I still wish I knew who this guy was. I would give him a really good ass whooping for what he done."

Matt stared at Link, "So you do love her...a little."

Link shrugged as he unclenched his fist, "Yeah...only a little. But not a lot. I just think she isn't the right girl for me. There are plenty of others out there. I just haven't found the one person that would work."

Matt smiled as he too sat down in his bed, "Well, Zelda's the one for me. She's just perfect. But...I know she isn't interested in me. I mean, she's a princess. And I'm...an outcast."

"Nonsense," Link said as he blew out his candle, "You're the perfect person for her, no doubt. You're funny, caring, and honest. And that's the one thing a girl would want in a guy."

Matt nodded as he blew out his candle also, "Just don't tell her a word, Link. I would like to tell her myself when I'm ready to."

"Don't worry," he said, "I won't mention anything."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Matt decided to speak again, " Link...were you ever in love with anybody?"

Link laughed as a memory came back to him, "Yeah...I used to be in love with somebody also," he shook his head as he smiled, "Just to let you know that person was Zelda. Yes...I remember how I felt when I first saw her."

Matt nodded, "I know...I felt the same way too when I first saw her."

"I wanted to tell her so badly how I felt...but...it was just...I was too young. And so was she, and I knew for a fact that Zelda didn't feel the same way towards me. So one day, I felt like just enjoying a young life without a girlfriend. I put an end to my silly crush to her and decided to just be friends with her. And for some reason...it made me more comfortable that way."

Matt only listened, wide-eyed. He couldn't believe that Link had become that open to him. He had never done that before at all...he like it.

"Hey, Matt?" asked Link.

"Yeah?"

"Zelda's told me she liked somebody too, you know," he said with a smile.

"Who?" Matt jumped with surprise.

"You'll find out sooner or later," he said, "But as for now, you'll have to just keep her happy. Let her know that you do like her."

Matt nodded, "Of course," he finally laid down on his pillow, "And Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being a good friend to me."

Link almost cried. No one had ever thanked him for being a friend. He had always gotten a pat on the head if he had rescued a cat from a tree or saving a little girl from a snake. But being thanked for just being a friend? And not just any old friend, a good friend. Now that was what touched Link the most.

"It must be hard for Matt," Link said to himself as he remembered a story that was told to him, "He saw his whole family being slaughtered and killed right before him. I remember how the story went."

I don't know how it happened. Or why it even did happen. All I know is that it did. Countless people of the village were being slaughtered one by one. And I only sat at my window, almost crying at the sight. Dad busted in the room and told me they were headed for us next and that we had to leave. So my older sister and I ran with mother away from the slaughter. And I can remember looking back at my house, and I remember the blood- curdling scream my father gave out once I saw one of Gerudo Thieves walk into our house.

We ran away a pretty good distance before we too were attacked by the thieves. They took mother's life first. They struck her shoulder and left a deep cut. She died from losing so much blood at once. Then...I remember them taking my sister and embed a hatchet deep into her scull. As she fell to her knees, she mumbled to me, ' Run, Matt...you're too young to die now. Run as far as you can from here and don't stop until you find a safe place to rest and live.' The only thing left I remember was running until my knees bled. I didn't stop...not until I reached this village.

Link hung his head at the sound of the story, "Well," he thought solemnly, "At least he has a good friend to keep him company. Before Vicky...he was the only person that was close to family."


	3. Part 3

Part Three—A Jailbreak, A Secret Was Revealed, And A Fake

Vicky stretched her arms out at far as she could at the first sight of light. She gazed out the window at the beautiful morning. The sun was shinning, there was no cloud in sight, and she could feel she warm air coming in. She stumbled out from the bed and walked out of the room and entered a thick aroma of meat...breakfast!

She followed the smell until she found where it was coming from, the dinning room. There sat Link and Zelda, they were eating and laughing and talking about memories in the past.

"Remember when I told you about the time that skull kid took my horse?" asked Link with a laugh.

"Yeah, I remember," Zelda answered, laughing also.

"Well...did I tell you that I tried to hold on to Epona's leg, but I fell off?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Look," he lifted up a small spot on his shirt, "I still have the scar where I cut myself on that log."

"Whoa!" she said as he peered at the huge scar that covered almost half his waist, "But you only have about six scars, right?"

"Seven, to be exact," he pulled the sleeve from his shirt, "This one was from when I first tried to hold a metal shield. I accidentally pierced the side of my arm when I dropped it," he pulled down the sleeve and lifted up a section of his hair on his forehead, "This one was from when one of the Twinorva sisters burnt me with her stupid wand," he pulled up his tunic halfway to show four, small scars right above his bellybutton, "And these are all from when I fought Ganondorf for the first time. He shocked me in four different places."

Zelda's eyes bugged a mile as she stared at the scars. And so did Vicky's. She had never seen such severe scars, "Do they hurt?" Vicky asked.

Link then noticed that Vicky was there, "No, they don't hurt, they're only scars. But the one on my forehead does. It burns if anything touches it. That's why I try to keep my hair free from it."

Vicky smiled, as she then smelled the aroma of meat again, "So what's for breakfast?"

Zelda slid a plate next to a chair, "Egg omelets with breakfast meat," she said, "I've prepared this one especially for you because I know you like meat...I put extra bacon and sausage in it."

"Cool!" and Vicky ran to the table and wolfed down the entire omelet, " Mmmm...that was the best breakfast I've ever had in years."

They then went back into talking about their formal lives. And it wasn't too long before Matt decided to join them. He, of course, sat next to Zelda. And they all spent even more time discussing about their lives.

"I can't believe that's happened to you, Matt," said Zelda. She patted his head, "You poor thing...you must miss your family a lot."

"It's sort of ok," he said, enjoying that Zelda was touching him, "I've been alright on my own."

"You shouldn't be alone," she said, as now her pats on his head turned into her stroking his arm, "If you like, you could stay here with father and I. We'd be more than happy to keep you company."

"REALLY!" Matt jumped at the idea. But then he calmed and tried to act cool, "I mean...I'll think about it, Zelda. I'll let you know soon," she looked at him with disappointment, "Alright! Fine! I'll stay!"

"Yes!" she said and she leaned over and gave him the most lovable hug you could get. And Matt stood there, smiling and he hugged her back. He loved being this close to Zelda.

Impa walked into the dinning room with a serious look on her face. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "Vicky...there's someone here to see you."

"Well then," she said, "Who is he?"

"He didn't say," she said, "But he claims to speak with you."

She nodded, "Then tell him I shall see him."

Impa smiled and then disappeared out into the hall. They all heard a slight mumble in words before a man walked into the room. She had a clean, shaved beard and had on dirty clothes. Vicky turned her head to one side, sensing something familiar in the man.

"His stare..." she said to herself, "Where have I seen this stare before?"

The man smiled, "Hello, Vicky. I am here to give you good news."

She eyed him, "What kind of good news?"

"Well, for starters..." he began, "Do you remember your father? The one who is locked away in prison?"

"Yes...I remember him quite well, sir. Why?"

"Well...I'm here to announce that..." he said, "That man, is not you biological father. He was your step father."

Vicky's eyes widened, "He wasn't?" the man shook his head, "Then who is?"

"I am..." he said with a smile.

"You?" she said in a high voice, "You? But...how...why...what..."

"I know you're speechless, Vicky. But I am your father and I've come to take you home. Now if you would just..."

"Wait a second!" Link said, getting up from the table, "I'd like to see some very reasonable proof that you're this girl's father. Your not taking her away without me seeing that you really are."

"Well, it's a good thing I always keep it with me," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled, old paper, "This is the paper proving that I am her biological father."

Link took the papers and read it silently to himself. After about a couple of minutes, he looked up from the paper and said, "So you really are her father."

The man nodded, "Yes...I am. Now if you would just get her things...and we will be going."

Link raised his hand in front of the man's face, "Just hold on a sec," he yelled, "Vicky...can I see you outside for a minute?"

Vicky nodded cautiously and followed Link outside the room, "I have know idea what's going on here but whatever it is...I'm not liking it."

"Me neither," Link replied, "There something about this that doesn't feel right."

She stood silent for a moment, "Well there's nothing we can do anything about it, that man has us in a tight spot—he has proof."

"Maybe the proof is a fake."

"Could be," she said, "But we don't know for a fact," she stroked her chin as she tried to come up with a logical solution, "I'm gonna have to leave. How about I ask him where we're headed and you can come by sometime and check us out. I mean, there's nothing other we can do but that."

Link nodded, "You're right," and they both walked back in the room, " Well...so...now that Vicky's leaving, I want to know we you're taking her...and I want the truth, sir. No lies." He gave the back a dark look.

"Ok...you want the truth?" he inched up on Link as if he was picking a fight, "I'm traveling west to Rarewood Forest. You happy?"

Link still stared at him. He walked backwards until he found a chair. He sat down in it, "I'll be watching you, sir. I'll always be watching."

The man threw him a cold stare and grabbed Vicky's upper arm, "And I'll be watching you as well," he hauled Vicky out of the room.

As soon as the man was out of sight, Zelda knelt down beside Link, "Why didn't you stop that man? He was threatening you, you know."

Link folded his arms, "No...I threatened him first," he said, "He is Vicky's real father but if he treats her with disrespect, like I said...I'll be watching him. She'll come back if that ever happens."

Vicky sat on the back of a horse, with her father sitting behind her. She didn't like the feeling that she was leaving...her instincts told her to get off the horse and run back to Link. But she only sat there, frightened.

They entered Hyrule Field. Only then did the man decide to speak to her, " Listen up, brat...you better listen to me. My rules are you have to give me as much respect as you possibly can. One wrong doing, and you'll be severely punished, do you hear me?"

"Brat..." she thought to herself, "Only one person has ever called me a brat. But who was it?" She racked her mind, trying to remember the revolting person who had once called her a brat.

"I asked if you heard me," the man barked, "Answer me, you brat!"

She still closed her eyes deep in thought.

"Hey, brat...you gonna answer me?"

Vicky shot open her eyes in an instant. She knew who the person was, " You!" she elbowed the man, making him double over in pain. She then, with all her strength, pushed him off the horse. And she jumped down, next to him, "Only one person in my entire life has ever called me a brat," she stared at the man's furious eyes, "You can't fool me...uncle!"

The man chuckled and got up from the dirt ground, "You are smart, Vicky," he said, as he gained up on her, pinning her between the horse and himself, "I would have never thought you'd recognize me. It's been so long."

"Take me back," she said behind clenched teeth, "Take me back now!"

He swung back his hand and brought it down hard, slapping Vicky in the face. He watched happily as her body, flew under the horse. She stood there, on the ground, holding a hand up to her bleeding face. The ring on his finger had cut up her cheek.

"I told you my rules were to treat me with as much respect as you possibly can and that you would be severely punished if you didn't abide by that rule."

Vicky slowly got up from the ground and took him by the arm. She twisted it around a couple of times and then let go just in time to see him fall back, "Take me back, uncle. Now!"

His legs shot out and he dragged them across the ground, tripping Vicky. But that didn't keep her down for long. She thrust herself up and swung back her fist. As soon as she brought it down, her uncle caught her by the arm with one hand and pulled himself up to a standing position.

"Do really think you can beat me, Vicky?" he let go of her arm.

She didn't reply. She only kicked him hard in the shins. He breathed heavily as he held his left shin. The look in his eyes made Vicky freeze. He then let go of his knee and started to once again gain up on her. As soon as he had her up against a tree, he took hold of her throat and pulled out a shinning knife.

"You see this knife, Vicky?" he asked. Vicky's frightened eyes glared at the shimmer from his knife, "This is the same weapon I killed your mother with. You remember it don't you?"

She didn't answer.

He pulled her a little away from the tree and then pushed her back against it hard, allowing her head to smash into it, "I said do you remember it?"

She nodded, "Yes, uncle."

"Would you like to die the same death?"

She shook her head slowly.

He smiled evilly, "Good, that's what I thought," he gestured the horse, " Now get on the stupid horse and we are going to travel west...do you hear me, Vicky?"

"Yes, uncle."

He released her throat and this time took a hold of one of her braids and nearly dragged her back to the horse.

Impa walked into Zelda's room with a newspaper in her hands. She stared at it with some type of worried look on her face, "I need you to look at this...it's very strange to me."

Zelda took the newspaper in her hands and read out loud the headline, " Jailbreak in Hyrule," she began, "A jailbreak occurred at Hyrule's National Prison Chamber on this past Thursday. Officers claimed a man with a clean, shaved beard and dirty clothes came in, claiming that he wanted to visit his cousin, who was in jail at the prison. Sergeant Luke Milony says that he had told the man that visiting hours were over. The man had struck him on the head and used his keys to break out a man from the prison named Joahnis Coherence, who was accused of Child Abuse."

Impa nodded, "Read it...there's more."

She nodded also, "Eye witnesses also claimed they saw a man, who matches the jail- breaker's description, in Hyrule Field on a black stallion along with a girl. The girl had two, long braids and was about five and a half feet. And the girl seemed to have been crying..." Zelda's eyes widened, " See picture of the man and the girl on page B2," she turned to a page in the newspaper. And her heart jolted at the sight of the two figures riding on a dark, black horse, "I know that girl...she's..." she took a deep breath, "LINK!"

And within a blink of an eye, Link and Matt fled to the room, "What is it?" said Link, "What happened?"

She held the newspaper in front of him, "Read it...and then look at the picture on the back."

Link nodded and took up the newspaper. He read it out loud so everyone can hear. But it didn't seem to be of a shock to him...until he saw the picture on B2, "That...that's Vicky!" his face turned red with anger, "That little urchin! He tricked us!"

"What?" said Matt as he stared at the picture also, "Oh, my goddesses, it is Vicky!"

Link's fingers crumpled the newspaper as he tried to control his anger, "I swear if he hurts her...I'll kill her. I'm leaving to go and get her back."

Zelda's expression changed from rage to worried, "No, Link. It's too dangerous for you to go with that man. They're both very powerful."

"I have to," he said, "I need to save Vicky."

"Well, what are you going to do once you get into there? I mean, what if Vicky's dead by then?"

"She won't," he said furiously, "At least...I hope she won't."


	4. Part 4

Part Four—Troubles Ahead...And Behind

Woodrare Forest Two Years Ago

There walked a man in Woodrare forest, an evil man. An evil man named Taro Coherence. His brother was in jail, for beating his child, Vicky. And he was asked to live with Vicky—since there were no other people whom her mother could turn to. Guards from the prison kept a tight eye on Vicky for a couple of weeks, then died out and left her alone...and that is when Taro's evilness showed.

"Do the dishes, you brat," he barked at Vicky. But Vicky only stood there, startled, "I said do the dishes, now!"

"Are you feeling okay, uncle?" she asked with kindness.

"I'm feeling just fine. Now go and..."

"You don't sound just find," she said, "You sound like you've had a bad day. Did something happen at work?"

"Nothing happened at work," he said, "I'm feeling fine so just..."

"Then why did you just yell at me, uncle? You've never yelled like that to me before. I think you are sick."

"I told you I am not sick. Now go do the freaking dishes, brat, or I'll..."

"And why are you calling me brat? You always used to call me sweety-pie or sugar-pops or pudding-cakes or snickle-fritz or..."

"Just shut up, you son of a..."

"Uncle...I've never heard you use such foul language."

"I said shut up!" and this time he swung his hand way back and brought it down hard on her face. She jolted back in an instant now with fright in her eyes.

"Uncle...I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset..."

And now he punched her in her chest, making her clutch it in pain, "And that was for insisting I was sick...which I am not!" and to top it off, he kicked her hard in the stomach. And now she fell on the floor, "And that was for talking non-stop!"

Tears streamed down her face as her mother ran into the room, "I heard screaming from my room and I thought I'd come here and..." then she noticed, "Taro...what in the world happened? Vicky, why are you on the floor?"

"She kept asking me if I was sick," Taro replied, "But I'm not, and I don't know why that brat would think such a thing. If you plan on me living here with you and this girl..."

"I'm asking why is she on the floor?" she said, her voice stern as ever, " And why is she crying. And why is there...a cut on her face?"

Taro held up his hand to reveal spiked metal lying across his finger, "It was my ring," he said. Then he smiled, "I hit her."

"Hit her!" her mother ran up to Taro so that her face was directly in his, "What on earth gave you the right to hit her? My husband has hit her enough to last her a lifetime. And I don't need her uncle now to be abusing her in such a way. And you hit her because she 'kept asking if you were sick?' What kind a sick man are you, thinking you can just lay a hand on my daughter?"

"She was being disrespectful to me. And for that, she ought to be punished!"

"Disrespectful my butt, Taro!" she yelled, "Vicky is the most respectful person I know. So don't go telling me she isn't. 'Cause I know it's not true. If you ever...ever...consider about laying a hand on her I'll..."

Taro pushed her, almost making her lose her balance, "Will you just shut up? You're just as bad as her."

She pushed him back, but not nearly as hard, "Don't you push me, I'm a lady!"

"Oh...I'm sorry. You're right, you're a lady," he walked over to Vicky and picked her up by her hair. He held her upright in a standing position and then pushed her so hard, she flew halfway across the living room, smashing her head into the wall, knocking her out, "But your daughter isn't. I guess that means I can push her all I want."

"No you can't!" she said behind clenched teeth.

"I can do whatever I want, lady!" and now he picked up one of her china cups from the shelf next to him. He threw it at her, allowing it to break into pieces at her shoulder, "I can hit anyone I'd like."

Vicky's mother stood there, her hand covering her bleeding shoulder, her eyes almost tearing at the pain. Taro ran up to her and took hold of the collar to her shirt, "You know damn well if I leave, you can't raise Vicky all by yourself. And it doesn't matter how good you hide, they'll find you and they'll take Vicky away and put her in some squirrelly orphanage and they'll leave you in the middle of the streets to die. And if you're lucky, they'll let you die in a jail cell, next to your darling husband. And once he gets out of jail, he'll come after Vicky...and you know what he'll do. After all, he gets out in a couple of more years...and Vicky will still be helpless—heck, she can't even take a few slaps without falling. He'll kill her, Marge. He'll kill her. Yep, she'll die a nice, slow, and painful death. Now we wouldn't want that to happen to her, right? Because behind all this, Vicky's your whole, entire life, right? We wouldn't want to see her die, right?"

Her mother stared back at her helpless daughter, who laid unconsciously helpless on the floor, bleeding on her cheek and chest, "What are you saying, Taro?"

"What I am saying, my dear is that if you two don't cooperate, I will leave. And everything I just said will come true. And like I said, we wouldn't want anything bad happen to Vicky. She's the limelight of the entire family!" he smiled intentionally, "So do me a favor and I'll do you one, you hear me, Marge?"

She nodded, "And I'm not doing this for you...my doing is for Vicky only."

Taro nodded as he released her shirt and watched her go over to the mangled body of her daughter, "Leave her, Marge! Go upstairs, now!" she nodded, patted she head of her daughter, and proceeded up to her room, leaving this terrible man alone with Vicky. Taro sneered and walked over to her, "Get up, you swine! Do the stupid dishes like I said!" But Vicky didn't stir from her deep unconsciousness, "I said get up!" he kicked her hard in the stomach, which made her body fly a little to the left. He growled and stood at the bottom of the stairs, "Marge, come do the dishes. You lazy daughter's too weak to do them herself."

Link grasped the handle to the Master Sword and then nervously looked back at Zelda, whose face was worried as ever. She held onto Matt's arm as tight as she could, "Just pull it out, Link. Get it over with!"

Link nodded and then pulled out the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. He smiled as he realized he wasn't older...he was his own self. He lost his smile.

"Let's go," he nodded at Zelda.

Zelda nodded back as the Triforce mark on the back of her hand glowed. There was a blinding light; and as that blinding light settled down, Link saw that Zelda had changed herself to Sheik, "I'm right behind you, Link."

Matt looked at Zelda with shock, "Zelda...are you..."

She nodded, "My altar ego, Sheik. Impa had taught me how to change from a Hylian to a Sheikah a long time ago. I can run faster this way, and I have more power then I would really have if I were just a plain little girl."

"Will you be able to change back?"

"Of course," she said, "But that isn't for a long time. Let's go...we need to go help Vicky," she held out her hand.

Matt, startled, only stared at her hand, thinking if maybe he was willing to take it. It seemed like hours before he finally placed his hands in hers. She then grasped it tightly and pulled him close to her, so his face only inches away from her face.

"Zelda..." said Matt, not really knowing what she was trying to do, "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer. Instead, with one hand she removed the cloth that wrapped around her face and leaned over and gave him the longest kiss you could ever imagine. A kiss...that would never be forgotten...Sheik's kiss.

Link only stood there, smiling, as he shook his head, "I knew they were right for each other."

It took Matt only a matter of seconds to realize that he was responding to the kiss, he was kissing back. The one thing he ever dreamed of was now coming true.

After what seemed like years, Zelda then lifted herself from Matt and smiled. She hugged him and embraced her as tight as she could, "I love you, Matt. I don't want anything bad to happen to you on this dangerous trip."

Matt laid his cheek on the top of her head, "Nothing will happen to me. We're all a team on this. Just make sure nothing happens to you."

"Nothing will," she said, "as long as you're here," she embraced him a little tighter, "As long as I'm with you...I know nothing bad will happen to me."

Matt was now almost crying, "As long as you're are in my arms, you'll be safe from anything...I promise, Zelda."

Woodrare Forest Two Years Ago

Taro got up from the couch, spat on the floor, and walked up the stairs where Marge was sitting there on her bed, silently reading a book to herself. He grunted and took the book from Marge's hands and hurled it out the open window.

"No more reading books while I'm here," he shouted, "From now on, all you're going to be doing is cooking, cleaning, and if I'm in a good mood, I'll let you take naps now and then. Do you hear me, Marge?"

She nodded and then got herself tucked under her covers. She thought to herself, "I've made a big mistake...to actually marry his brother. I've made a mistake to have a daughter so early in life. My whole life is a huge sack of mistakes."

Taro stood there for a moment, and then slowly took off his clothes, "You! Get undressed!"

She shot up in an instant, "I beg your pardon?"

He slowly got in the bed with her, "Don't worry...I'm sterile. Now take off her clothes, you little hag."

Vicky didn't awaken from her unnatural sleep until late afternoon the next day. Her whole body was aching. But her chest and cheek hurt the worst. She went to the bathroom to clean off the caked blood and then went back to the couch. This time she slumped down on the couch and closed her eyes.

"I'm tired from sleeping," she said to herself, "Can I get any weirder?"

Taro was now coming down the stairs. He noticed Vicky on the couch, about to fall asleep. He walked over to her, picked her up from her shirt and threw her on the ground like a sack of potatoes, "Get up! The kitchen floor is dirty. Go sweep it!"

Vicky slowly got up to do as she was told, with no comment for him; although her head was full of them. She now despised her uncle. Her uncle wasn't a part of her now.


	5. Part 5

Part Five—Life Majari

Woodrare Forest Two Years Ago

Vicky sat on the bed, her groaning mother in so much pain. She tried to soothe her mother through words, but it was hard for her...she had never had to do this before, "Calm down, mother," she said, "Everything's gonna be alright. Uncle Taro is out...and I'll do the chores he asked you to do."

"I won't let you do that Vicky, I won't," she said as she struggled to get up, "I can't...I can't."

"...You can't get up is what you can't do," she said as she pulled the covers over her, "Stay in bed. I'll mop up the floors for you."

"No, Vicky," she said, but Vicky had already left the room, "Vicky! Get back in here now! I will do it!" she then felt a sharp pain shot up her body and she groaned once more, "Please, Vicky..." she mumbled under her breath. Everything was hurting: her head, her arms, her legs, everything!

"It's for her own good, Vicky," she told herself, "Don't go back. Uncle Taro will throw a fit if the chores aren't done."

She walked to the basin and filled a bucket up with water. She then carried the bucket to the kitchen and squirt some soap in it. Then she began to look for the mop, "Where is it?" she said with a scowl. It wasn't there...and she had no time to look for it. So instead she grabbed a sponge from the bath and plunged it into the bucket. She let it soak for a while and then began to scrub up the floors. It would've been done faster if she had the mop.

Taro came home when Vicky was just finishing up the bathroom floor. She then tried to hide what she had done, but it was too late. For her uncle had already seen that she had done her mother's chores.

"Where's Marge?" he barked at her, as if she were a slave.

"Upstairs," Vicky whimpered as she tried to back away from him. But he still followed her.

"Why isn't she the one scrubbing the floors?"

She swallowed hard, "Because she's sick, Taro, I can't let her work when she's sick. Please! Just this once..."

"This is her job," he screamed, "Your mother isn't the princess who would just walk around and lie down whenever she wants. Under my rule, she is to work her butt off until she bleeds! And if she doesn't, ohhhh...I'll..."

"No!" she yelled, "Don't! She can't move that well or she'll be hurt. She's very sick."

"She isn't sick," he said, "It's a stupid excuse she's using to get extra sleep. And I know her tricks, she's just being lazy."

"She isn't lazy," she said.

"Oh yes she is! And I'm going to put an end to this right now!" he pushed her aside, knocking her to the floor. He grabbed up a knife from the kitchen and then started to walk up the stairs.

"What are doing with that?" yelled Vicky, scared as she ever was in her life.

"I'm putting an end to her. She's too lazy...to lazy to live!"

And at that moment, Vicky felt as if she had just been sentenced to death. She arose from the ground and started to run up the stairs behind him like a fierce animal, "Nooooooo!"

"Please no! Please don't let him do this! She's sick! Don't do this!" Vicky didn't even know if they were saying those words out loud, " Please—Din, Farore, Nayru! Help me, please!"

She finally reached her mother's room. Where, just as she got there, she saw Taro just pulling the knife from her mother's chest. Her eyes swelled with tears as she stared at her uncle, who was now looking at her as if he wanted to kill her too.

"No!" she said in almost a whisper. "How could you! No! You...you...you murderer!"

"Leave, Vicky," she told herself, "He killed your mother. And now he's gonna be after you. Don't trust him anymore. You're on your own. You must flee to protect yourself. But how? Just run...run away from this horrible man. Don't risk your life over him."

Her mother wasn't moving anymore.

"I said leave! You're not worth staying with him."

She wasn't breathing now and her uncle was slowly walking towards her with the knife in a tight grip.

"Fool! What are you doing just standing there? Go! Go where? Anywhere. You're better off anywhere with anyone than with him."

Only then Vicky pushed her uncle to the ground, with surprising strength. She then spat on him and ran away from her nightmare.

Sheik was running as fast as her long legs could allow her to. And Link was riding along with Epona, trying to keep up with her. Along with Matt who was on his own horse, Kilan, trying to keep up as well.

"How do we know where to find her?" asked Sheik, over the howling wind.

"I remember..." said Link, "He said something about Rarewood Forest. It's somewhere west."

"Rarewood Forest? But that place doesn't even exist!"

"So we're stumped?"

"Hold it..." she said, "I remember Impa saying something about an arrest in a place called...oh...I can't remember it."

"You have to...it's the only thing that's the closest to helping us find Vicky."

"I think it was something like...Wood...rare...that it's it!" she said, "Her uncle tried to confuse us by switching up rare...and wood. I remember...it's Woodrare Forest. That's where she is."

Link praised, "Thank the goddesses you remembered!"

Woodrare Forest Two Years Ago

Two months...it's been two months since Vicky had ran away from her uncle. She had been living for two months on her own. Two months of hiding in the dirty woods, with hardly anything to eat. In fact, she had gotten about ten pounds thinner since the last time she ate...which was last week. Two months...it was hard.

"I need food," she mumbled to herself. She then smelled a foul odor, " And I really need a bath. My hair is all tangled."

She then stood up from the muddy ground from which she was sitting down on and started to climb a tree. She stopped near the middle to grab a branch. And then she climbed back down.

"This branch," she said, "I can make something with this branch. I can carve a boomerang with this."

And she took out the pocketknife she had swiped from a rich merchant. She then began carving it into a small boomerang. She made it quite well too, for her first time trying. She had gotten use to carving her own materials since she had runaway.

"I know how to use one too," She stood up and threw it to an area where there weren't many trees. It came back to her within a swift swing, "This is neat."

She threw it again. And this time the boomerang didn't come back to her. But she did hear a small wince from a person. She gasped and ran to go see what had happened. There was a boy, a little over her age, lying on the floor, unconscious. He had black hair with a white streak in it and a slight tan was in his skin. She poked him a little.

"Hello..." she said, "Are you still alive in there?"

The boy didn't stir. He only laid there, his eyes closed. He carried a sword in a silver scabbard and had a large sack lying next to him. Only then Vicky smelled heaven.

"I smell food!" she said. And she reached into the sack. She pulled out a small jar of roasted chestnuts, "It'll have to do," she stared at the sleeping boy, "I'll worry about him later. First I have to get food in my stomach."

She struggled to open the jar. But if wouldn't budge open. She tried again. Still, nothing. She then threw it to the floor, hoping the jar would shatter apart. But it didn't.

"Darn jar!" she said, "I can't even open it!"

She reached into the sack again and found a jar of water. She fiddled again to open it, but failed.

"Why does he keep his food in jars?" she said to herself, "How does he get it open?"

And just as she said that, the boy awakened from his sleep and jumped on top of Vicky. She dropped the jar of water and yelped in pain. The boy stared furiously at her.

"Why did you hit me on the head with your boomerang?"

Vicky tried to answer him...but his weight was forcing all the air from her lungs.

He noticed the jar of roasted chestnuts, "Ohhhh...you struck me for food. Come to think of it...you look like you've haven't eaten in weeks," he then smiled, "I'll give you some food, if you hand over your boomerang."

She punched him hard with her fist without answering.

"No?" he said, "Ok, then. I'll just eat something myself." He lifted himself up from her body and put the sack over her instead. She thought a sack would be easier to get out of, but it turned out to be even heavier.

The boy then quickly started a fire, right there in front of her. He reached into his sack and pulled out a can of vegetables and chicken and then he grabbed the jar of water. The boy then got out a small pot and placed it over the fire. He popped open the jar of water and poured it in the pot. After a while he added the chicken and vegetables to the water. He then turned to her and flashed her a smile.

The boy then began to stir the blend together, making a thick mix. A smell trailed from the pot and wrapped around Vicky's nose. He was making a hearty soup. And it smelled heavenly. No! She wasn't going to give out her only weapon just for something to eat. But then again...it would be torture to watch him eat it all by himself right in front of her.

The boy then put out the fire and poured some of the soup into the water jar. He then walked over to a creek, which was right near them, and then closed the jar and began to hover it over the creek.

"I'll drop it in the creek," he said, "And then it'll flow all the way down the stream. I'll let another poor little girl have it." He stared into Vicky's hungry eyes, who was trying not to give in, "Think now...hand over the boomerang, and I'll hand over the food."

It was too hard now. It was hard to resists food while it hung so fresh and delicious right before her. She nodded, "Have it, as long as I can eat."

He smiled and took the jar away from the creek. He handed it to her, not taking the sack off from her. She grabbed it from his sturdy hands and gulped it down. It tasted heavenly. The best soup she had ever had.

The boy smiled once again, "Would you like some more?" Vicky nodded and handed him the jar. He filled it up and handed it back. She drank it more slowly this time, just so she could get the bitter taste. As she did this, the boy watched her. For some reason her he felt sorry for her. Sure...she had struck him on the head and tried to steal his food, but still, he felt sorry for her.

"Got a name?" the boy asked as he walked over and pulled the sack off of her.

She sat up, "I'm Vicky...I'm...just Vicky."

"No last name?"

"No...I...don't have one." She feared that maybe this boy was working for her uncle.

"Ok...well, Vicky's a good name," he reached into his sack, "Do you like ale? Or beer?"

She shook her head, "No...not ever. I hate beer."

She smiled, "Good, me neither. I never drink. It's just that usually the people I help out are always these measly little drunkards and they get disappointed that I don't carry a bottle of ale around with me. I'm just happy that for once I meet someone who doesn't like it."

She smiled back at him, "It just think it tastes weird that's all."

"And it's bad for you, too. I've known a lot of people that have died drinking beer. It destroys your liver."

Vicky then imagined her drinking a bottle of beer and then seeing herself double over in pain and die. "No beer...my liver is clean."

He pulled out another jar of water and handed it to her, "You must be thirsty."

She nodded as she took the jar and licked it clean, "Thanks..." she said and she began to walk away, "I'll be leaving now."

"Well, wait," he said, "You headed anywhere? We could go together. I have no problem...and at least you won't starve."

Vicky then thought, she had no place to go, but this boy had food. And she needed food more than anything. She nodded, "I need to get to someplace."

"Ok..." he said, "Where you headed?"

She thought again...where would she be going? "I'm...I'm going to a place called Kakariko Village. But that's a long journey from here. You see...I'm sortta hiding from someone. And I need to get as far away from him as I can."

The boy nodded, "Ok, I'll take you there. We'll take Blood-Biter!" and just as he said that, he brought his hands to his mouth and whistled. And out of nowhere flew a fierce, black dragon and it landed in front of them. Vicky jumped back with surprise.

"What is it? What is that thing?"

The boy patted the dragon's neck, "This is Blood-Biter. He'll take us to Kakariko in no time. We just need to climb up on him."

He climbed up onto the dragon's neck. He held out his hand, "Come on...you're not scared are you?"

"No...I'm...terrified." She glared at the dragon's evil eyes, "And I'm afraid of heights."

"Oh, don't be scared," he said, "Blood-Biter will go slow. And it doesn't matter if we go high, the trick is not to look down," she stared at him with unsure eyes, "Just trust me on this one."

She nodded as she slowly walked over to the dragon and took hold of the boy's hand. She was then pulled up from the boy's strength and she landed on the dragon's neck behind the boy.

"Hold onto my waist," she did, "Now remember, don't look down," he kicked the dragon softly in the neck. There was a terrific jolt backwards and before they knew it, they were flying up a hundred feet in the sky. Vicky seized the boy's waist even tighter, "Don't be afraid. We're fine."

But she didn't loosen her grip. She still held on...even tighter...tighter...then she was afraid of cutting of the boy's circulation. And she loosened up a little.

It wasn't until a few minutes before she was finally calmed down and she almost felt like letting go of his waist completely and leaning back to relax. But she didn't, "So...what's your name?"

"Life," he answered, "It's short for Life Majari. I know it's a little crazy but..."

"No...no...I like it," she said, "It's different. It's something I haven't heard before."

"You go to Labryanna and you'll hear my name all over the place, so don't be surprised."

She thought to herself, "I wouldn't see why not...I can see he helps a lot of people. So I may not be the only one he's helped so far."

And just as she said that, her hair was beginning to wave back. The air was tugging at it, "What's going on?" she said to herself, "My hair wasn't doing this before."

Then she realized she was falling from the sky. Not her...the dragon, " Blood-Biter...are you okay?"

He wasn't okay...there was something wrong with him. Why would he be falling at such a fast speed?

Vicky looked around, looking for signs that could have caused him to act this way. Then she saw it. There was an arrow embedded on the side of Blood-Biter's stomach!

Sheik's legs had gotten weaker since she had left the castle. She had gotten a little slower then. In fact, Link and Matt had already caught up to her. But she kept on going. She needed to get to Vicky.

"Say, Sheik," said Matt, "Are getting tired? It looks like you are."

"No," she panted, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. If we stop, it'll take longer to get there."

"Would you like to ride with me?" he asked.

"No. I'm gonna keep running."

Matt shrugged, "What ever you say."

"We're halfway there, Matt," said Link as his horse jumped a fence, "She can hold in by the time we get there...hopefully."

Falling From The Sky Two Years Ago

Blood-Biter was falling even faster now. And the ground was visible. They were going to crash right into the middle of Hyrule Field.

"Life," shouted Vicky, "We're gonna split into a thousand pieces."

"Not just yet," he said, "Give me your hand, we're gonna jump."

"Are you crazy? That's even worse. I'd rather die on the dragon than committing suicide."

"Trust me," he said, "I've done this before. Just give me your hand and we're gonna jump."

"He said to trust him, Vicky," she said to herself, "The only thing we can do now is trust him. He seems to know a way to let us live. That's what you want, right? Take his hand and jump with him. But how do I know he's gonna save us both? You don't...so just take his hand and jump. Now! You're falling faster by the minute."

It was almost as if she didn't do it herself, she actually took his hand. Then she closed her, felt a hard tug, and then she wasn't on the dragon anymore. She opened her eyes just a peek to see the ground rushing up to her. And just as she thought she was about to fall and shatter to pieces, they both landed flat on their feet. Life Majari had saved them.

"Life Majari..." Vicky's voice trailed off, "How did you..."

He raised a hand to silence her, "Gerudos," he whispered, "Better be on your guard, we're completely surrounded."

Vicky for the first time noticed that there were Gerudo Thieves surrounding them. They inched up on them, with their axes and hatchets in hand. Life Majari withdrew his sword.

"You got anything to fight with?"

She shook her head, speechless. Had he took her boomerang?

"Then you're gonna have to run."

"Run where?"

"To Kakariko. It's only a couple of more miles from here west. Go now. And give me a vow to keep."

"A vow?"

"Yes, tell me something I should do when we next meet and I'll keep it."

Vicky, a little confused, had no idea what he was talking about. But she answered anyway, "Ok...but it probably won't happen the next time we meet."

"Trust me."

She nodded, "I'm running from my uncle. But he'll probably find me soon. I need you to help me defeat him. Is that too much?"

"No," he said as he struck a Gerudo, "Now start running. And don't stop until you've found Kakariko Village."

She nodded once more, took one, last look at Life Majari, and fled...fled where? To Kakariko...and only there her true adventure would begin.


	6. Part 6

Part Six—Surprises Awaiting

Sheik stood there, staring at the tattered, old village of Woodrare Forest. It was disgusting; it looked like nobody had lived in it for years. There were only five house, all dirty and old as the forest was. There was a small market right in the center of the village where people were going about, buying from the merchants, the small children eating berries. But Sheik's ears landed on a conversation that seemed suspicious.

"Did you hear that awful scream last night?" said a woman to another woman.

"Yeah, I did," she said, "I think it came from Taro's place. I wonder what he was doing up so late."

"Probably doing the same as always," she rolled her eyes, "He's a terrible man. Everyone despises him. He's too grouchy."

"Maybe it was because of his niece. You remember, Vicky?"

"Ah, yes. Such a sweet girl. I remember...she ran away from him. Perhaps he's heart broken."

And then Sheik came into the conversation, "Where does this Taro guy live, ma'am?" trying to be as polite as she could.

"In that house over there," she pointed to a two story shack on the end of the road, "You have business with him, child?"

She cracked her knuckles, "Yeah...some very serious business. Thank you, ma'am. I'll be seeing you."

Link and Matt finally caught up to Sheik, both panting with exhaustion. They gave her a questioning look. And Sheik nodded, "Yep...I found out where he lives."

Kakariko Village Two Years Ago

Vicky sat in a dark alley at Kakariko Village. It was almost raining and she was cold and hungry. How she wished Life Majari were there to give her something to eat. He had helped her out very well. And he had gotten her to Kakariko faster. He was a friend not to be forgotten.

She hugged her knees to her chest and rocked herself a little, "Boy, it's cold," she said, "Am I to stay like this forever?"

She rolled over a little to the side, hoping the wall of the alley would keep her any warmer. Turned out to be even colder. She felt a slight raindrop on her arm. Another on her cheek. Another on her leg...it was raining. She moaned.

"My god!" she murmured, "Can things get any worse?"

She scrunched up a little more so she could stay warm. And for some reason, it stopped raining...she felt as warm as ever. But she still sat there, scrunched up into a ball, her face hidden under her shirt.

It became even warmer. Was this a dream? It was winter...and she was as warm as if she were sitting right in front of a fireplace. This was a dream...why would she be this warm?

Then she felt a soft, warm hand on her shoulder and a small, gentle voice, "Hello, Vicky." She jumped a little a sat up, alert.

She saw three figures there. One who looked young, about twenty if she could guess. She had dark, red hair and flaming, red eyes. She looked scary...but her smile was gentle. The next person looked only about two years younger than the first and she looked just like her. Only this one had green hair and eyes. Really! And the last one looked the youngest, about fourteen to be exact. She had long blue hair and aqua colored eyes that were similar to Vicky's.

They were all so frightening to Vicky. She tried to squirm away, but them she realized that she was on a cloud. Was she in heaven? Were these young woman the three goddesses? Was she dead?

"Don't be afraid, Vicky," said the one with red hair, her calm voice soothing Vicky, which made her relax a little, "We are the three goddesses."

So they were the three goddesses. But why was Vicky here?

"Am I being punished?" asked Vicky, her voice having a slight shiver in it.

"No," she said, "We have brought you here to tell you something," she flashed the other girls a warm smile, "You see...there was this boy. And this boy has lost his mother when he was born. He was born the same year as you, only a little earlier. After she died, we realized that boy needed a mother, so we reincarnated her."

Vicky nodded, not quite interested, "Ok..." she said, "And why are you telling me this?"

"Well...you see...you are the person in which we placed her soul in. You are a reincarnation of a woman named Malay."

She nodded again, still not interested, "Ok...but still...why are you telling me?"

"Well, we need you to sort of do us a favor."

"Anything."

"We need you to find that boy...his name is Link. And he lives in a forest called Kokiri. You are to find him and tell him the news. Do you hear me, Vicky?"

She nodded, "Yes...I'll fulfill your wish if you answer me a question."

"Ask away."

She took a deep breath, "Will my life ever get any better?"

She smiled, "It will...all in good time if you try."

Link busted open the door to Taro's house. He noticed the man sitting there, with a newspaper in his hands, which was covering his face. But the man was aware of his arrival.

"It's about time, kid," said the man as he removed the newspaper and stood, "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come...let alone find out I tricked you. How did you find out anyway?"

"Stop the blabbing and telling me where Vicky is!" he said behind clenched teeth, "I've come to have her back."

"I'm sorry, but aren't you here to fight me?" just as he said that, Sheik and Matt had came into the room, "Oh, and look, you've brought friends." He laughed, "Hey, Joahnis! Get down here...there's some kids here who've come for Vicky."

Link's blood boiled as he heard a loud crack followed by the sound of a scream.

"That's Vicky!" Link screamed. He ran to where to scream was coming from, but Vicky and Matt held his arms. A man came walking down the stairs. He was a young man and he looked a lot like Vicky, only his nose was bigger. Sheik's eyes bugged a mile as he stared into the familiar eyes of the man. She knew who he was.

"You!" she screamed.

"It's good to see you again, Zelda," he said with an evil grin, "I thought I'd never see you again."

She turned away to block her numerous tears, "I can't believe it's you...Vicky...Vicky was the daughter?"

Matt put his hand on Vicky's shoulder, "Zelda...what are you saying?"

"That's the man," she whimpered, "That's the man who betrayed our relationship and got married behind my back. That's him."

He stared back at the man. Zelda used to be in love with him? And Vicky...she could have been Zelda's daughter. Why? Couldn't she see he was an abuser?

Sheik turned her furious eyes towards the man, "I hate you," she said, "I hate you with every last ounce of blood in my heart. I'm...I'm gonna kill you..."

He nodded and closed his eyes, "Go ahead...you get first hit. Go ahead, Zelda. Hit me first." He waited for her to strike, "There will be two hits...you hitting me and you hitting the floor. Go ahead."

But Zelda wasn't the one that hit him first. It was Link, who had slashed him with a sword. And before he had a chance to react, Link slashed him a couple more times. And the man was dead.

Link shook his head, "I'm sorry. I could help it...I couldn't stand him talking to you like that."

Matt shook his head, "He's in love with Zelda more than I am. If only I did that too."

Taro stood there, startled, "You...you killed my brother...you...you..." he didn't say anymore, instead he lunged towards Link. But Link dodged out of the way, allowing Taro to fall onto his stomach. He reached under the couch and pulled out a flail.

"Take her...just let me live," he said, groaning.

"How do I know you won't come back for her?"

"He won't come back for me," said Vicky, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, "He won't...not when you're around. Next time, if we feel something's not right, we'll follow that feeling. He's not coming back for me."

She nodded as Link smiled. Two years ago, when Vicky asked the three goddesses, "Will my life ever get any better?" they had told her it would, all in good time. They had spoken the truth. Because already Vicky was seeing the bright light of hope in her life.


	7. Part 7

Part Seven—The Light

Zelda sat at the foot of her bed, hurt and crying. Joahins...the man she once loved...dead. Link had killed him...Link was a murderer. But had he done her a favor? What was it about Vicky's mother that made him forget about her and leave? Was it because Zelda was too young at the time? Or maybe he was too old.

(There are still endless questions that await this story...but only a few will be answered.)

There was a knock at the door, "Zelda..." said Link's gentle voice, "May I come in?"

She wiped away a tear, "Yes...I guess you have to."

The door opened and he stepped in. He walked over to where she was sitting and sat down next to her, "Hey." He said.

"Hey," she said back, "Where's Matt?"

"He's back at the house, getting his stuff ready," he replied, "He's happy that he's gonna get to stay here with you."

"And where will you be going?"

"Well..." he thought, "I've finally got up enough money to rebuild my house. So Vicky and I are going over tomorrow and we're gonna start. She and I are gonna be living back there from now on," he scratched the back of his neck, "Listen, Zelda...I really wanted to talk to you about Joahnis. I mean...you know he was an abuser...I know you did."

She shook her head, "I honestly didn't. When I heard about Vicky getting constantly hit by her own father, the farthest person from my mind was him...I couldn't believe Joahnis would be the kind of person who would do that."

"You should thank Vicky," he said, "After all...she was the one who had saved you from him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just think about it," he said, "She got all those beatings from him and he lefts all types of marks on her. But you...he didn't leave even a small scratch on you. It was Vicky that went ahead and took the beatings for you. If it weren't for her...it would have been you."

She half-smiled, "Guess you're right," she stared down at the ground, " You know, Link...before Joahnis...well...you were the one I was in love with."

Link stared at her, "What?"

"I loved you. With all my heart, but I thought...you were too young for me...and so was I."

Link smiled, "Oh my god, I felt the same way. I used to be in love with you also. But I didn't go for it because I thought you were too young. So I let it go."

She gasped, "Me too! I can't believe it!" she blushed as she gave him a hug, and that ended their conversation. She split the hug and nodded. Link nodded too and got up to leave.

"See ya."

"Wait!" Zelda shouted. And Link froze, "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being there for me."

Link visited one, last person, Vicky, before he went to bed. He walked into her room to see her with a pile of dresses scattered around her. She was constantly trying to pick one out, enjoying it while she did it. Link only watched her, his head to the side, admiring her.

She then caught his eye and smiled, "Hi, Link! Zelda said I could pick out two of these dresses. I've already picked one out," she stood up, " How do I look?"

Link only stared. She was too great for him to describe it in words. So he only replied, "Ummm...you look...very beautiful." He walked over and sat down next to her, staring at the numerous dresses in front of him. Then he saw it...the most beautiful dress he'd ever seen. It would look perfect on her. He picked up the dress and held it in front of her, "Try this one on...this one would look great on you."

She stared at the dress, "I think I've seen that one before," she said, " I think I've seen the milkman's daughter wearing something like that."

"But I don't think it will look better on anyone but you. Put it on, please. I won't look," he covered his eyes.

"I will...as long as you promise not to peek," she looked at him pretty good before quickly scrambling out of the dress she had on. She took up the dress Link wanted her to wear.

Link, just then, moved his hand a little to the side, "Hey! I said no peeking!" she covered herself with the dress and Link recovered his eyes again. She slipped on the dress within a blink of an eye. Then she examined herself in the mirror. The dress looked ugly to her. But Link like it...and she would do this for Link, "Ok, Link, I'm ready."

He uncovered his eyes to see the most beautiful angle in Hyrule. He almost cried at the sight of her beauty. But he didn't, he only stared at her.

"What?" she screamed, "Am I that ugly?"

He shook his head, "Ugly is farthest thing from my mind," he said, "You look, magical!" he got a little close to her, "Vicky...can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, Link."

"Have you...have you ever kissed anybody? Have you ever kissed a boy?"

"No...not ever," she said, blushing.

"I've never kissed a girl either," he said, "But I see others kiss, they really seem to like it."

She smiled, "I know, don't they?"

Link was blushing too, now, "Do you...want to kiss me? Just to see why people like it so much?"

She nodded, "Yes...I would love to."

And they got closer and embraced each other, both staring into each other's eyes. Link pushed Vicky's hair a little to the side and they kissed. They kissed for a long time. And at the same time, they went pushing around each other's mouths with their tongues. They paused to separate for a split second to get another breath and their kiss continued. It was a long kiss...one, full minute in heaven.

They then broke the kiss, Vicky's eyes were still closed, and she was now closer to Link then before. She laid her head on his should and cried.

"Don't cry," he said, his gentle voice calming her down. He wiped away his tears, "Don't cry...I'm here for you, Vicky."

"Call me by my real name," she said, sniffing, "My real name...Victoria."

They were in love...and in love meaning not by mother and son. They had a special bond to each other that would never go away.

"Victoria..." he said, as he kept his embracement to her, not wanting to let go, "I like it better...Victoria."

They kissed again. But this one was shorter.

"Did you like it?" he asked.

She nodded, "Loved it," she said, "And you?" she nuzzled his soft neck.

"Just as well..."

They had each other now. Link had finally met the girl who was perfect for him...Victoria. And Victoria finally met someone who didn't turn her away, or hit her. She liked it...this adventure they had both went on...it came out perfect for everyone.

Everyone: Victoria, Link, Matt, and Zelda. They all went on this frightening ride together. Together all at once. It was like a gigantic roller coaster. There were many twists and turns that had put everybody on the spot. Tears...laughs...memories...all were the result of the roller coaster ride. But the ride had finally come to an end and they had all survived together. They were still living, breathing, and walking. Never again will they do that again. Never again will they take the chance to ride the roller coaster again. For if they did, there would be no line...and they wouldn't be that lucky. Never again...never...again...

And right as Link and Victoria had their moment, one, last flash-black was zooming through Victoria's head. One that would never leave:

Kakariko Village A Week Ago

Vicky had been shunned that night by a merchant. She had rupees to pay for her food, but he turned her away, "I don't except money from dirty urchins!"

It was raining, too, that night. But now it was morning and the ground was muddy. She leaned over a trash can to find something to eat and she accidentally knocked it over, making a loud, tortured sound.

And right after that, a boy turned at the alley and stared at her. He had blond hair and aqua colored eyes and a sword in his hand. He was wearing a green tunic.

And that...my dear friend...is where our story begins once again.


End file.
